April 21, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
The Town of Liberty has a new city recorder secretary treasurer
During last Monday night’s special meeting of the Liberty Mayor and Aldermen, the council voted to hire Laura Foutch to succeed veteran employee of 46 years Charolette Bratten who recently retired but has continued in the role in the absence of a successor. An earlier motion to combine the positions of tax collector with the duties of the city recorder/secretary-treasurer failed to get support for passage.
Foutch will earn a monthly salary of $800 working out of the town hall at ten hours per week.
Meanwhile the board voted 4-1 to pay Bratten for the months of March, April, and May for work already done and for Bratten’s help assisting Foutch as she takes over the job.
Questions were raised about Bratten still being on the job after resigning January 31 and for her keeping city records at home where she has conducted city business. In the absence of a successor at the time, Bratten’s employment was extended through February 28.
“I brought this up last month and I took it upon myself to keep her (Bratten) but I need to get everybody’s okay on that,” said Mayor Audrey Martin.
“Has she already been paid for March and April,” asked Alderman Kendra Stanford.
“Not until we vote on it. I haven’t written her a check,” said Mayor Martin.
The conversation between the mayor and Alderman Stanford then turned to the city records kept at Bratten’s home.
“In the February meeting when we extended her (Bratten) to February 28th she said she would have all city property (records) up here by February 28th. Have the records been brought up here yet from her house,” asked Alderman Stanford.
“Not for the last six months because we are still working trying to get everything together and up here in a timely manner,” said Mayor Martin
“But the records still need to be at town hall,” Alderman Stanford said
“And they will be,” answered Mayor Martin
“The comptroller’s report said she (Bratten) had 35 years’ worth of city records and that should have been turned over last January 2024. That’s my concern with the new recorder coming in because she needs all of this stuff to be here to do her job,” said Alderman Stanford.
“Everything will be here by the end of the month but the last six months are not here,” said Mayor Martin.
Meanwhile Mike Eaton, a realtor for Blackwell Realty and Auction addressed the mayor and aldermen requesting that the city donate back to Citizens Bank of Lafayette a portion of the parking lot of the old Liberty State Bank location at 311 East Main Street previously owned by the bank but donated to the city in 1947. The bank closed its Liberty location last summer and Eaton said the property is for sale with a buyer waiting in the wings, Tony Bates of Bates Ford in Lebanon who has also recently bought properties in Alexandria.
“Citizens Bank of Lafayette asked me to help them sell their property and we listed it at 311 East Main Street in Liberty and we have a buyer for it,” said Eaton. “During a title search it came to our knowledge that in 1947 Liberty Savings Bank gave to the town of Liberty for a dollar the parking lot so the city could have extra parking. We would like to ask for the city to quick claim that deed back over to Citizens Bank of Lafayette. The bank actually owns 18 feet from the door out which is basically the drive through window spot. That is all the bank owns and the rest of the parking lot is the town of Liberty’s,” said Eaton.
The Mayor and Aldermen have scheduled a special town hall meeting outside at the parking lot location on Monday, April 28 at 6 p.m. to get input from the public before making a decision.
Meanwhile, Liberty is in search of a new mowing and maintenance employee, a position left vacant with the recent resignation of Dale Pursell. If you are interested contact Mayor Audrey Martin at 615-648-2701